Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Indian Rupee Strengthens Sharply After U.S.-India Trade Deal Announcement 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Dollar Holds Firm as Strong U.S. Data, Fed Expectations and Global Central Bank Moves Shape Markets 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Trump Announces U.S.–India Trade Deal Cutting Tariffs, Boosting Markets and Energy Ties 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Japan Finance Minister Defends PM Takaichi’s Remarks on Weak Yen Benefits 
Asian stock markets hovered near four-year highs on Tuesday, supported by Wall Street’s record close, as investors awaited major corporate earnings and developments in U.S. tariff negotiations with key trade partners.
Japan’s markets reopened after a holiday, reacting modestly to weekend election results. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition lost ground in upper house elections, but Ishiba pledged to stay in office. The yen held steady at 147.46 per dollar after rallying 1% on Monday. Japanese equities opened higher but pared gains, while bond markets remained calm, with most of the political outcome priced in.
Commonwealth Bank economist Kristina Clifton noted that Ishiba’s weakened leadership could lead to more fiscal stimulus, potentially pressuring the yen and Japanese government bonds.
MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan briefly touched its highest since October 2021 and remains up 16% year-to-date. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit new highs on Monday, driven by Alphabet and other tech giants ahead of a wave of earnings.
Investor attention remains fixed on the August 1 deadline for U.S. trade deals. Tensions with the EU are mounting, with Brussels considering retaliation. Clifton emphasized that trade agreements with Japan and the EU are pivotal, adding that the dollar could weaken further against the euro and pound depending on the deal outcomes.
The euro held firm at $1.1689, while the dollar index stood at 97.905. Concerns over the Federal Reserve’s independence persist, fueled by President Trump’s criticism and comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged in July, but markets anticipate potential rate cuts starting in September. In commodities, oil prices slipped as fears of a U.S.-EU trade war raised demand concerns. Brent crude fell to $68.97, while WTI eased to $66.99.
